I heard the news today about Steve Jobs death. We know he was a Buddhist and that Buddhism philosophy helped him a lot, no matter if he was at his work or just living life.
He said many timeless phrases to encourage people. There is one goes like this:
“There’s a phrase in Buddhism, ‘Beginner’s mind.’ It’s wonderful to have a beginner’s mind. It is the kind of mind that can see things as they are, which step by step, and in a flash can realize the original nature of everything. Beginner’s mind is Zen practice in action. It is the mind that is innocent of preconceptions and expectations, judgments and prejudices. Think of beginner’s mind as the mind that faces life like a small child, full of curiosity and wonder and amazement.”
“Don’t forget beginner’s mind/heart” is a phrase from Avatamsaka Sutra.
“Heart,” also called “Buddha nature,” is the original nature of mind. It’s the ability to be aware. Spirit begins without any outside interference and material temptations. Buddha nature is the simplest seed within all spirits. The beginning of Buddha mind also means the first awareness. The beginner has a clear view of the world, like a mirror created clean and bright. But mind is influenced over time. Improper, unclear thoughts gradual distract our thinking of things and cover up the direct comprehension in our heart. The bright mirror of our mind becomes clouded or dusty. When we base our thoughts and actions on a variety of “grasping” we just have all kinds of vexation. Therefore, don’t forget beginner’s mind to reminding you of the original nature of heart and use it to observe the world.
No matter what you are doing; studying, working, buying a car, starting a new sport or profession or hobby… you began with aspirations and beginners mind. We are all full of passion for our endeavor. But after a while many of us fall into frustration. But if you do not forget your original heart, you will have the perseverance to move forward and do the job well.
Lastly, although the philosopher has passed away, his legacy will stay in people’s hearts.
When I sat in front of my computer reading the news about you, your philosophy of life, your light illuminates my mind.— For Steve Jobs—
No matter what your age or activity level, you will likely experience some type of pain during your lifetime.
Whether you suffer from sciatica, knee pain, or menstrual pain — or pain from an injury like a sprain, bruise, or burn. Pain is the most common complaint physicians see in their practices. Besides experiencing pain, most of us have also taken a wide range of pain medications, from over-the-counter medicine like aspirin to stronger prescription drugs; and we are aware (as our doctors are) that these medications can have unpleasant and unwanted side effects. Would so many of us continue to take these synthetic Western drugs if we knew about other options that are time-tested, safe, natural and effective? — There is a traditional Chinese medicine designed to ease your discomfort.
In China and Taiwan acupuncture and patent herbal medicine are seen as the first treatment option for pain. Traditional Chinese medicine is a safe, effective and natural healing modality that has been used by a quarter of the world’s population continuously for four thousand years to deal with a variety of pain issues.
In Chinese medicine it is said that when there is pain there is stagnation of blood or qi, or both. This roughly means that there are various biological functions of the body that are not flowing smoothly and can often lead to, or be the result of, inflammatory conditions. For this reason Chinese herbs are used to encourage (quicken) the blood flow and move the qi. At the same time “clearing heat,” i.e. reducing inflammation, is a common strategy used to assist in the relieving pain.
Patches or plasters are the medicine combining traditional and modern methods of pain relief. They are ease to use and store. They can be broken down into two basic groups: those with cooling herbs and those with warming herbs. Part of how an acupuncturist or Chinese herbalist diagnoses conditions is in terms of cold or heat. The herbs are intended to not only relieve pain but also to promote blood circulation and speed up the healing process.
A. Pain patches for cold conditions: Most herbal patches are of this category. If the patch contains mint/menthol you can assume it’s of this variety. Their main purpose is to eliminate new muscle pain and nerve inflammation using a cooling effect.
B. Pain patches for heat conditions : Used when a person is suffering from incomplete recovery from an injury, chronic or long term damage, and/or poor peripheral blood vessel circulation. They use heat to reduce pain and often smell of pungent, spicy herbs. When applied to the skin these patches feel like they are warming up, leading to their nickname “the hot pepper plaster.”
Note that the ingredients of the plasters can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and that Chinese companies are known for not listing all their ingredients. Therefore, it is best to get a prescription from a qualified herbalist.
You can’t rely only on pain patches to completely heal your injuries. You still need to do gentle exercise/stretching, rest enough, don’t overdo it when you start to feel better, and have the input from a qualified physician/physical therapist etc. You might like to consider doing T’ai Chi exercise, as it is gentle and has helped many people recover from physical complaints.
Combining traditional and modern esthetics, Damazen online store sells tattoo herbal plasters. They have colorful tattoo designs on the fabric and pain relieving poultices on the inside. The store will also carry plain beige patches for those looking for something more discreet.
Dharmazen online store:http://www.damazen.com/cargo/index.html
Pai Sha (strike therapy) is an ancient Chinese method for maintaining one’s health. The term “Sha” refers to congested blood, or debris formed by bruising or clots in the blood vessels, which impede transportation of nutrients via the blood and cause poor blood circulation. In turn, this results in disease within the human body, such as overall achiness, numbness, various kinds of vascular disease, etc.
According to legend, tradition, and Yi Jin Jing, this therapy originated from the Northern Wei Dynasty over 1,400 years ago. It is generally believed that this type of therapy was developed by Hua Tuo in the Eastern Han Dynasty, but some people hold that this therapy was developed by Patriarch Bodhidharma during the Northern Wei Dynasty. Another technique developed by Bodhidharma, called Si-Sue Jing Qi Gong, calls for striking one’s entire body with an iron broom after completing the hanging exercises.
Pai Sha is a method of rhythmically striking the body with a special instrument. The object used is often a long bundle of thin pieces of bamboo i.e. a narrow broom with thin pieces of bamboo instead of straw and no long stick (nothing to sit on if you want to fly on a broomstick). Alternatively, the broom could have about 50 rods of stiff wire with blunted ends welded together then wrapped with cloth for the “handle” end, but kept loose on the business end).
The striker hits the body with strength but the blow is rapidly diffused by the natural give of the flexible bamboo rods. For smaller parts of the body, the pai sha tool can be a simple stick or other blunt device with a handle.
Pai Sha is similar to Gua Sha and cupping in that it promotes bruising in a measured way. Pai Sha can be a bit uncomfortable, and it is similar to Gua Sha in the sense that it is a folk practice rather than a formal medical practice. In other words, Gua Sha and Pai Sha are never really prescribed by doctors or seen performed in hospitals, but they are very common methods of self-healing among the general population. The basic theory is that raising bruises in a consistent and modest way encourages blood circulation and clears up old static blood.
Precautions:
1. Strike therapy on pregnant women, those with internal bleeding, bone fractures, unhealed surgical incisions, or wounds is strictly prohibited. One should refrain from strike therapy from the hours of 11:00 to 13:00, or within one hour after meals.
2. Do not strike at an angle perpendicular to the bone. Striking should be performed in a direction that is parallel or diagonal to the bone.
3. If purple/black bruising is found, strike therapy should not resume until the bruising fades.
After strike therapy, drink a minimum of 500ml of warm water to facilitate toxin excretion and dispersion of congested blood.
Once the congested blood appears after strike therapy, it is normal for the skin in the treated region to feel swollen and painful when touched, with no discomfort at other times. As there will be no skin lesions or wounds, no bacterial infections should occur.
There is an old Chinese Saying goes like this: “Health is Equal to Wealth.” I believe that the value of good health exceeds that of wealth, because sometimes money can’t buy health. Strike therapy has become very popular in Taiwan and China because it’s easy and you can just do it by yourself. So why not give it a try?
The traditional bamboo striker and modern plastic paddle are both available at a great low price at the Dharmazen online store:
http://www.damazen.com/cargo/index.html
In recent years Chinese tea has becoming popular in western countries. Which kind of tea do you drink? How much do you know about it? Oxidized or not oxidized? Do you even know?
Most Chinese tea is classified according to color; green, white, yellow, blue, black and red. Blue But it can also be categorized according to its degree of oxidation; non-oxidized, partially oxidized, or fully oxidized. In the world of tea, the term oxidation or “fermentation” refers to the actions of natural enzymes, present in the leaves, on the juices and tissues of the leaf; this is not “fermentation” in the true sense of the term (as, for example, the action of yeast in producing beer). Green tea is usually less than 5% oxidized while black tea is often 85% or more.
Different degrees of oxidization give the tea different characteristics. Many people have heard of Oolong, but don’t “green tea” encompasses many varieties of green tea.
Oolong tea from Taiwan
BaoZhong or Pouchong oolong, also called light oolong, is a lightly (18% oxidized) tea. It has a twist shape, with floral notes, and is usually not roasted. It’s taste is somewhere between green tea and what is usually considered Oolong tea (Wulong, ‘Black Dragon’), though often classified with the latter due to its lack of the sharper green tea flavours. It features an elegant orchid fragrant ‘Pouchong’ refers to its paper wrapping.
Taiwanese High Mountain Tea is grown in altitudes of 1,000 meters or above. Ali Mountain, or other high mountains is the most widely known general name for lightly oxidized (20%) oolong tea, much of it picked in winter and therefore termed “Winter tea”. Among the oolongs grown on Ali Mountain, tea merchants tend to stress the special qualities of Gold Lily tea var. (Chin-Hsuan, or Jin Xuan) tea, which is really the name of a cultivar developed in Taiwan in the 1980s. The oolong tea made with it has a particularly deep flavor. Taiwanese love to drink this tea.
TieGuanYin or Iron Goddess of Mercy green tea is a traditional oolong. It is roasted, with a ripe fruity aroma and has a stronger taste. The tea liquid is reddish-brown with a roasted nutty character. It’s partially oxidized (40%).
Pekoe Oolong, commonly known as “Oriental Beauty Tea”, is a lower elevation oolong with a pronounced, honey-sweet stonefruit taste. Some say this taste is the result of the tea plant’s reaction to a small insect that munches on the leaves. Its unique flavor originates in part from the inclusion of insect eggs and egg sacs during harvesting, contributing an element that has been described as “earthier and more robust” than Earl Grey tea. The acceptance of this flavor has led to tolerance of the insects and organic growing practices for this tea.
Green tea grown in mainland China
LongJing or Dragon Well tea leaves are oxidized less than 5%. They are only picked once a year during mid-March to mid-April when the leaves are at their peak. Due to the stringent selection process for high quality leaves, this tea is not widely available.
It produces a tea that is very gentle and sweet. The tea leaves can be eaten after infusion.
BiLuoChun or Green Snail Spring tea is so called because it is rolled into a tight spiral, resembling snail meat, and is cropped early spring. It has a strong aroma and is regarded very highly among tea connoiseurs.
PuErh from mainland China
PuErh Tea is usually double oxidized, producing an 80% oxidized tea. It can be made using two methods. Raw or “sheng types are those in the process of gradual darkening through exposure to the environmental elements. Fermented or “shou” tea leaves undergo a microbial fermentation process after they are dried and rolled.
In 1972 a relatively standardized process for producing PuErh was developed by Menghai Tea Factory and Kunming Tea Factory in Yunnan province. It’s called “wet piling” in English, which involves piling, dampening, and turning the tea leaves in a manner composting.
PuErh tea is renowned for its medicinal qualities. Unlike other teas, Pu-erh’s quality and taste improves with age. Its taste is often described as earthy but some very well aged Pu-erh produce cups of incredibly smooth and wonderfully complex beverage.
Black tea
Black Jade Taiwan tea at about 95% is a fully oxidized tea. It is said to have notes of cinnamon and mint.
Raw or oxidized tea, what’s the difference?
Producing raw tea, partially oxidized, or fully cooked tea all depends on a third major process: “kill-green” or fixation. Tea leaves are ‘fired’ (heated in pans) or steamed before they completely dry out
A very important natural process called the “Maillard reaction” (a chemical reaction between an amino acid and a reducing sugar) was started during the oxidation process. Fixation can intensify the process for a short time before determining where the reactions stop. This is the basic cornerstone in the formation of a tea’s unique collection of taste and aroma compounds, which give a tea its liquor colour, strength, and briskness.
Another purpose of baking is to reduce the moisture content of tea leaves, lending it a natural sweet taste. Only partially oxidized tea such as Oolong, Iron Goddess of Mercy and Oriental Beauty tea use this process. This step is omitted when seeking the natural flavor of green tea or black tea.
Raw tea is both partially oxidized and lightly baked to kill-green. Theophylline and caffeine levels are greater in raw tea. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) raw tea is a cooling substance. Medium roasting changes tea into a warming and soothing substance, as found in Iron Goddess of Mercy tea.
Hopefully this article has simplified the true complexity of tea production and tea drinking without losing its meaning. Maybe the next time you drink a cup of Chinese tea you will have a deeper understanding of how its taste has developed. With so many different varieties there are so many different tastes. Try to sample some different varieties and find one that you really like.
Tea drinker in Taiwan or China make a point of buying loose leaf tea leaves of a least mid-grade quality. Low quality tea, like all green tea packaged in tea bags, and some very cheap loose tea has an unpleasant taste. It may be that you have tried green tea before and not enjoyed it because the quality was poor. Steeping time is important too.
I hope you enjoy your next cup of Chinese tea!
Dharmazen online store has high quality organic tea, available at a reasonable price. Feel free to compare our prices to those offered by other online stores.http://www.damazen.com/cargo/index.html
September 11th,2011
Tea |
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Self-colored Incense- Natural color and smell, this direct burning incense is cleaner with less smoke. Ingredients are carefully selected and meticulously pressed into high quality horizontal sticks (no wooden core) and coils.
This incense is made up of meticulously selected natural aloeswood or sandalwood. It is exactly the same color as the genuine wood. When burnt, it produces the very essence of the wood’s fragrance, absolutely differing from conventional incenses with their colorants, perfumes, and other toxic additives.
These types of natural incense are now available:
1. Hoi-An Aloeswood Incense: Made from carefully selected, high quality aloeswood originating in Vietnam. It conveys a unique, awesome fragrance.
2. Qi-Nan Aloeswood incense: A blend of Malaysian and Indonesian aloeswood, featuring a long lasting fragrance.
3. Lao-Shaw Sandalwood incense: Made from sandalwood selected from India. It is characterized by a delightful classic fragrance.
Chenxiang “Agarwood, Aloeswood” or oodh, or just agar, is a dark resinous heartwood that forms in Aquilaria and Gyrinops trees (large evergreens native to southeast Asia) when they become infected with a type of mold. Prior to infection, the heartwood is relatively light and pale coloured, however as the infection progresses, the tree produces a dark aromatic resin in response to the attack, which results in a very dense, dark, resin embedded heartwood. The resin embedded wood is valued in many cultures for its distinctive fragrance, and thus is used for incense and perfumes.
According to the Compendium of Material Medical (Bencao Gangmu), aloeswood has a spicy aroma. It is warm in nature and non-poisonous. Indications: swelling, nausea, stomachache, acute gastroenteritis, tiredness, diarrhea, vomiting, muscle cramps, lumps in the abdomen, torpidity, condyle illness, rheumatism, pruritus, asthma, constipation, dribbling urination, cold sperm. It can also enhance the functioning of spleen and stomach, balance the endocrine system, and invoke a sense of strength and peace.
Tanxiang or “Sandalwood” is the name of a class of fragrant woods from trees in the genus Santalum. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and unlike many other aromatic woods they retain their fragrance for decades. As well as using the harvested and cut wood in-situ, essential oils are also extracted from the woods for use. Both the wood and the oil produce a distinctive fragrance that has been highly valued for centuries.
In Buddhist Scriptures, high quality incense is thought to bless one with joy and bliss and, in turn, help accumulate charitable and pious deeds. By choosing this fine incense one can increase one’s serenity and purify one’s sacred space with minimal lung irritation or decrease in air quality.
As a more than two-century veteran in incense production , Shih Mei Yuh Divine incense Co. Ltd. epitomizes supreme grade incense materials and meticulous production processes. Through our unique process, we manufacture with minimum possible incense smoke discharge, living up to your environmental protection requirements.
This high quality incense is available at the Dharmazen online store: http://www.damazen.com/cargo/index.html
September 1st,2011
General,
Store |
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